Retrofitted pouch for dispensing of plastic trash can liners

ABSTRACT

A trashcan/liner dispensing system that is retrofitted to fit inside of a trashcan. The invention involves a pouch located on the upper portion of one of the sidewalls of the trashcan that contains a disposable cartridge filled with plastic liners. The pouch is attached to the sidewall of the trashcan through the use of double-sided adhesive strips. The bottom of the pouch is beveled toward the back, thereby minimizing the space usage of the pouch inside of the trashcan. By locating the dispenser on the inside upper portion of the trashcan, the size of the trashcan is not increased and the cartridge of plastic trashcan liners is not susceptible to soiling by trash that may leak from the liner that contains trash inside of the trashcan

PRIOR APPLICATION

This application emanates from a prior Provisional Patent Application.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the field of trash containers and theirliners. Specifically, this invention involves a liner dispensing systeminside a trash can that is a retro-fit part of the trash can, located onthe upper portion of one of the sidewalls of the trash can with adisposable cartridge filled with plastic liners.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

For hygiene and tidiness, trashcans in almost all contexts are kept withplastic liners that can remove the waste from the trashcan and keep thetrash can clean. Generally, the liners are kept in a place separate fromthe trash can, thereby requiring that once the trash can liner has beenfilled and disposed of, a person has to go to the second location wherethe liners are, remove one from that area and replace it in thetrashcan. There have been liner dispensers in the prior that are part ofthe trashcan.

Shuval in U.S. Pat. No. 5,794,809 teaches of a trashcan container withan automatic liner bag feed. This invention involves a dispenser that islocated on the outside of the can, thereby increasing the overall sizeof the trashcan. A similar invention is disclosed by Tucker in U.S. Pat.No. 6,286,786.

Tracy teaches in U.S. Pat. No. 6,283,405 a liner dispenser that islocated inside the trash can, but it is located on the bottom of thetrashcan. When a trash liner in use breaks or leaks, it can soil anddamage the replacement liners located at the bottom of the can. Gola inU.S. Pat. No. 5,628,424 describes a similar bottom storing linercontainer. Similar patents involving bottom-dispensing devices includeCuccharia in U.S. Pat. No. 5,503,292, Falk in U.S. Pat. No. 5,458,259,Van Brackle in U.S. Pat. No. 5,405,041 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,105,859.

Accordingly, there exists a need for a retrofitted trashcan linerdispenser system that does not increase the size of the trashcan and isnot susceptible to soiling by virtue of being stored on the bottom ofthe trashcan.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, a trash can/linerdispensing system is described wherein there is a retrofitted pouch thatis affixed to one of the sidewalls of a trashcan, positioned toward thetop opening of the trashcan with double-sided adhesive strips. The pouchholds a disposable cartridge containing plastic trashcan liners. Oncethe cartridge has been exhausted of all the plastic trashcan linerscontained therein, the cartridge is discarded and replaced with a newone.

The pouch is designed to protrude toward the inside of the trashcan andtoward the top. The pouch is thin and smooth so as not to interfere withthe installation and removal of liners and while the liners are filledwith waste in the trash can. The bottom portion of the pouch can bebeveled toward the back of the pouch and toward the sidewall of thetrashcan. This allows the sidewall of the trashcan to remain smooth andleave no corners of the pouch exposed. The only exposed portion of thepouch will be the open top that is designed to accept the disposablecartridges filled with new plastic liners.

The size of the pouch will be dependent on the required size of thedisposable cartridge filled with a pre-determined number of plastictrashcan liners. Because the retrofitted pouch is located on thesidewall of the trashcan, it will not be crushed by the trash in the canas it is being placed into the liner that is in use. The retrofitteddesign of the pouch on the sidewall of the trashcan allows for a supplyof plastic trashcan liners to be stored inside of the trashcan withoutimpairing the installation or removal of any liners or impairing the useof the trashcan.

Because the pouch is located toward the top of the trashcan, the supplyof plastic trashcan liners are protected from contamination due to atear or failure of the liner in use that may allow trash and waste tospill out into the trashcan bottom and soil the supply of fresh liners.This thin pouch storage system for disposable cartridges containing asupply of plastic trashcan liners will store, supply and protect aquantity of liners.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The principal object of the invention is to provide a retrofitted pouchlocated on the sidewall of the trashcan and toward the top of thetrashcan, allowing for the dispensing of plastic trashcan liners.

It is another object of the invention that the pouch not altersignificantly the space inside of the trashcan for waste collection.

It is another object of the invention that the dispensing system notincrease the outside size of the trashcan.

It is another object of the invention that the dispensing system beprotected from soiling from liners that are in use that may fail ortear.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a side cutout view of the invention as it sits insideof a trashcan.

FIG. 2 illustrates a front cutout view of the invention as it sitsinside of a trashcan.

FIG. 3 illustrates a back view of the pouch, including the double-sidedadhesive strips.

FIG. 4 illustrates a top view of the invention as it sits inside of atrashcan.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN ENABLING AND PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

For a better understanding of the invention, we turn now to thedrawings. FIGS. 1-4 show the invention from four different angles. Theinvention involves a traditional trashcan 10 with a bottom portion 11,four sidewall portions 12 and an opening 13 at the top for thecontainment of waste and a thin pouch 14 containing double-sidedadhesive strips 15 for securing the pouch 14 to the trashcan 10. Thepouch 14 has a box shape with the topside 16 of the pouch 14 remainingopen. Inside of the pouch 14 is a disposable cartridge (not shown)containing a supply of plastic trash bags 18 for placement inside of thepouch 14. The bottom portion 19 of the pouch 14 is beveled back towardthe sidewall 12 of the trashcan 10. The pouch will be fabricated fromplastic.

The illustrations and examples provided herein are for explanatorypurposes and are not intended to limit the scope of the appended claims,as those skilled in the art will make modifications to the invention forparticular uses.

1. A method for lining trash cans with plastic trash can linerscomprising a traditional trash can with a bottom portion, four sidewallportions and an opening at the top for the containment of waste; a thinpouch with a means for securing said pouch to said trash can, said pouchhaving a box shape with the topside of said pouch remaining open; adisposable cartridge containing a supply of plastic trash bags forplacement inside of said pouch.
 2. A method according to claim 1 whereinsaid securing means are double sided adhesive strips attached to theback side of said cartridge.
 3. A method according to claim 1 whereinthe bottom portion of said pouch is beveled back toward said sidewall ofsaid trashcan.
 4. A method according to claim 1 wherein said cartridgeis made of plastic.